Intermediate Spanish Grammar

Course Description

Course description
Theoretical-practical course oriented to the morphosyntactic aspects of Spanish
grammar that are generally considered to be problematic for the students of
Spanish as a second language from a descriptive-normative approach where the
system of rules of Spanish is revised, analyzed and explained.

General objective
Improve the student’s grammatical competence from a descriptive-normative
approach.

Specific objectives
1. Review the morphosyntactic aspects of the system of rules of Spanish.
2. Analyze grammatical aspects related to the system of rules of the language
and its rules of use based on the organizational knowledge of the language.
3. Apply the system of rules of the language and its rules of use.

2

Contents
1. Noun agreement. Agreement of an adjective with different nouns, exceptions
to the rules of noun agreement, article agreement and determinatives.
2. Subject-predicate agreement: grammatical agreement.
3. Word order: combinatorial possibilities in the order of words.
4. Pronominal syntax: tonic and atonic pronouns, use of the form “se”
5. Value of tenses: paradigm of indicative, subjunctive and imperative tenses of
Spanish, simple and compound tenses, perfective and imperfective tenses,
perfectiveness and duration (aspect).
6. Use of personal forms of verbs: imperative mood, subjunctive mood, the
subjunctive in simple sentences, conditional mood.
7. Opposition and use of “ser” and “estar”
8. Commonly used prepositions: “de”, “con”, “para”, “por”.
9. Simple, compound and complex sentences.

Activities
1. Theoretical and expository lessons
2. Individual and pair work
3. Grammar analysis
4. Text production
5. Grammar worksheets

Evaluation
1. Tests (2) 40%
2. Compositions (2) 20%
3. Final exam. 30%
4. The teacher will permanently assess the level of the student’s grammar
competence development through classwork and homework – 10%

3

Attendance: 80%

General bibliography
1. Alarcos Llorach, E. (1970): Gramática de la Lengua Española. Madrid:
Espasa-Calpe.
2. Bosque, Ignacio y Demonte, Violeta. (1999): Gramática Descriptiva de
la Lengua Española. Madrid: Espasa-Calpe.
3. Porroche, M. (1998): Ser, Estar y Verbos de Cambio. Madrid: Arcolibros
4. RAE (1973): Esbozo de una Nueva Gramática de la Lengua Española.
Madrid: Espasa- Calpe.